North Shore Lions facts for kids

The North Shore Lions are a football team for young players in the West Island area of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are part of the QBFL (Quebec Bantam Football League). The team started in 1967 because it was hard to find enough players for local football teams. Since then, the North Shore Lions have won 38 championships across the province.

North Shore Football Leagues

The North Shore Football League has teams for different age groups. These teams help kids learn and play football.

Age Groups for Players

Players are grouped by age to make games fair and fun.

• Atom: For players aged 6 to 9 years old.
• Mosquito: For players aged 10 to 11 years old.
• PeeWee: For players aged 12 to 13 years old.
• Bantam: For players aged 14 to 15 years old.
• Midget: For players aged 16 to 17 years old.

Where Teams Play

The Atom, Mosquito, and PeeWee teams play their games at various local parks. The older teams play in more competitive leagues.

• The Bantam Lions team plays in the Bill Allan division of the Quebec Bantam Football League (QBFL). This is the top division for Bantam teams.
• The Midget Mustangs team plays in the Bruno Heppell division of the Quebec Midget Football League (QMFL). This is the top division for Midget teams.

History of the North Shore Lions

The North Shore Lions have a long and interesting history. They started from a local league and grew into a strong team.

How the Team Started

In the early 1960s, the North Shore Football League was quite new. There were four local teams for Bantam players. These teams played against each other. Their names were the Eskimos, Stampeders, Bombers, and Lions. They played their games at Rive Boisée park.

It became hard to find enough players for all four Bantam teams. So, in 1966, a decision was made to combine them. The goal was to create one strong team. This new team would compete against other cities in the Metropolitan Bantam Football League (MBFL).

Choosing the Team Name

The league needed a name for the new inter-city team. They decided that the name of the team that won the last North Shore championship would be chosen. The Lions won that final championship game. This is how the North Shore Lions got their name in 1967.

Early Success and Championships

The North Shore Lions had an amazing first season. Their first head coach was Ron Hutchison. They started a winning streak of 42 games without a single loss. They also won their first of many provincial championship titles.

In 1980, the Metropolitan Bantam Football League (MBFL) changed its name. It became the Quebec Bantam Football League (QBFL). This league is now part of the Quebec Amateur Football Federation (QAFF). The original MBFL championship trophy was given to the Lions. This was because they had won the most championships while the MBFL existed. Bill Allan, who was the president of the MBFL and helped start the North Shore Football League, presented the trophy.